I'm so grateful that you were able to capture the feelings of our inspiring Founders. It's great to know that there's a true telling of that tale and their journey. I'm realizing more as time goes by that they truly are pioneers in bringing 2 forums together (film and the internet) and that they had a perfect collaborator in Peter Jackson.

I had to laugh when you said, "TORN would take over the whole chapter..." Perfect!Thanks so much, m'dear. Having you here to celebrate 10 fabulous years is wonderful!Cheers!

"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."

I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.

Well said, as always! And THANK YOU for being so generous and cool in your time with our peeps on your show. You have a life-long fan here now; not just of your show, but because of your quality as well. Cheers, Sohaib. Here's to 10 more years!

"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."

I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.

I can't imagine the last ten years without TORn. You've welcomed us, informed us, and entertained us, and in the process forged a community that crosses all possible boundaries, uniting seasoned fans and newbies alike, showing us the common Tolkienian ground we share.

TORn has been the place I sent my students -- those few who did not already make it a daily visit -- and my own first stop for news and updates. I've appreciated the times you've called on me for interviews or featured news about my scholarship, speaking engagements, and classes. It's been a pleasure to make memories with the TORn staff, whether they are of sparring soldiers on horseback in Toronto at the Gathering of the Fellowship or singing Hobbits in Pasadena at ORC.

The great news is that TORn has just hit its stride. More movies are in the making. More events are planned. More books are underway -- in fact, I recently signed a contract to write a new work of my own on Tolkien, and I look forward to sharing news and updates with TORn -- and more Tolkien fans are yet to be made. Despite the great ten years you've given us, I have no doubt that the best is yet to come. Like fine wine, TORn is aging well.

So thank you, my friends, both for all you've accomplished and all you will do. I look forward to spending the next decade with you. Well done, indeed! Congratulations!

We all have grown a lot through the years. I'm amazed as how Tolkien's work has spawned such an incredible comraderie among those who are touched by his sensibilities. I think TORn is a reflection of those. I've found so much tolerance, encouragement, loyalty, humour and inspiration here; and I've seen it in your work at Hollywood Jesus, too.

So here we are sharing a 10-year Anniversary. It's a pity those who predicted a falling-off of fan enthusiasm after the films were finished were so WRONG! :D I think it's grown even stronger. Deep roots and all that.

Cheers, Sir! It's great to see you! :D

"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."

I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.

At the moment I'm flooded with jobs for an advertising company in Auckland - each job is different from all the ones before it, and each has its own challenges. Then I must start work on another set of replicas of the Treaty of Waitangi documents for permanent display in our national museum in Wellington, Te Papa. I also have some other bits and pieces of which I can't speak, for confidentiality reasons, as well as some paintings which will soon demand to be painted, and a calligraphy exhibition in August.

And that's about as far ahead as I can look - I've kinda got used to the feeling of not knowing what's around the corner...

I confess, the whole idea of 'sketching' in watercolor boggles my mind. When I think of sketching I think of succinct lines, not of shadows and shapes. Yet, the use of shadows and shapes helps one's mind fill in the details that aren't necesarily there. You've broadened my perspectives in that respect. Thank you!

Now, if you will, indulge me with a few favorites of my own:

Bag End in Ink washes - Daniel Reeve

Talk about shadows and shapes. I love that this entire composition is done in different shades of the same color. I can't stop looking at all the details accompished with such simplicity.

My other fav:

Tuatara - by Daniel Reeve

This pic also doesn't seem to have too many different colors, mostly different shades of brown and green. Yet the feeling of shadows and dapples of light is so strong you can almost see the fern fronds moving. Koru: Maori symbol representing a fern frond as it opens. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new, positive beginnings.

"Life can't be all work and no TORn" -- jflower

"I take a moment to fervently hope that the camaradarie and just plain old fun I found at TORn will never end" -- LOTR_nutcase

I was hoping to find you here. Now the party's complete! I'm so thrilled that you're going to be a part of the new films. I can't imagine what it must be like to work with both GdT AND PJ. The creativity and excitement must be palpable at time.

Come to think of it, this is sort of a 10-year anniversary for you, too... or around-abouts 10 years. It seems like a flash. And here we are again. TORn was here to speculate and articulate about how LotR would be done, and we're doing the same thing for The Hobbit. How cool! We live in such amazing times!

Thanks for always being so generous and gracious, sir. I can't wait to see your work again. You really do represent so much of Middle-earth for me now because of your handiwork.

Cheers!

"Barney Snow was here." ~Hug like a hobbit!~ "In my heaven..."

I really need these new films to take me back to, and not re-introduce me to, that magical world.

so much tolerance, encouragement, loyalty, humour and inspiration here; and I've seen it in your work at Hollywood Jesus, too.

Well, I'm certainly honored to have been a part of that spirit, and to be perceived in that way, too. I honestly can think of only one instance over the years in which my sometimes outlandish ideas have been met with outright hostility; and in the company of fanatics (yes, fans), that's pretty remarkable -- something that truly distinguishes Tolkien's work above his peers. If only actual religion could be approached so peaceably...

Of course, I've met you in person on the Red Carpet Tour - but you didn't mention sketching then. Until you can manage to get on a Sketching Tour, start with simple subjects, and just try to capture the light and shade. Squint your eyes at whatever you're looking at, to reduce it to patterns of dark and light, and draw that. Try it with charcoal, 'cos you can get nice darks and cover areas quickly - and experiment with smudging it with your fingers for smooth shading.

Thanks for the advice! "Start with something simple"... so I guess a tree probably wouldn't be the ideal first thing to sketch...? No, I didn't mention sketching on the RCT... I only ever sketched 2 things, really, & would have been mortified to show them to you. No visual artist am I! -Alicia

Sadly I have to leave in a few minutes for holidays, but I want to tell you how much I admire your work. I look forward to see more of it in the future! And thank you so much for doing this - I'll read everything when I'm back! I do not suffer from LotR obsession - I enjoy every minute of it.

It is wonderful that you send your students here. That speaks of trust. It is wonderful you came by to celebrate with us on our 10th. So much going on here! I have always enjoyed Native American Spirituality. Actually i was just trying to find in one of our two 'People's Guide to JRR Tolkien' books for you, an essay concerning the wonderful similarities between the elves and our native Americans, but i can't locate it presently.

Yes, TORn has so much to offer. I am still amazed after the years. And seeing newbies are great. It is fun seeing them in there own ways adjust and contribute. So many bright spirits. Cheers! ''What connects Nature to the spiritual, or requires the presence of the latter? In positive terms, as Alkis Kontos points out, when nature was still largely experienced as integral, alive and active, 'It was the spiritual dimension of the world, its enchanted, magical quality that rendered it infinite, not amenable to complete calculability; spirit could not be quanified; it permitted and invited mythologization.' And I would add, it still is and does.'' Patrick Curry-Defending Middle-Earth-Tolkien: Myth and Modernity - chapter: 'The Sea: Spirituality and Ethics.'

May the grace of ManwŰ let us soar with eagle's wings! In the air, among the clouds in the sky Here is where the birds of Manwe fly Looking at the land, and the water that flows The true beauty of earth shows With the stars of Varda lighting my way In all the realms this is where I stay In the realm of ManwŰ S˙limo

Happy Anniversary, TORN, from Lady of Mist, who used to be on this site nearly EVERY day, starting in 2002 until the 3rd Oscar Party in 2004. A special hello to all the TORNettes who swooned in Estrogen Island! Although I've been absent for such a long time, I have fond, wonderful memories of hanging out here and connecting to all of you who love LOTR and the films. Discovering TORN was one of the best things that ever happened --- no drug could ever deliver such a high. I met some cool people through the site and had many good times. Some of us still get together and and do things (like going to the Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival). I miss the excitement the films generated and the anticipation what the next film would bring. LOTR led me to do some fun things these past 5 years, such as visiting Ireland and Scotland and connecting to my own culture and heritage, and changing careers. I went back to school and now work in a library!

So, I raise my glass and toast to the TORN folk (a special hello to Tehanu!).

Thanks weaver - and the Valaquenta treatment was a pleasure. I actually quickly made a new font for it; Shire Upright, based on my Shire Regular. Made a few changes, added a couple of fancy letters, et voila!

And yes, this chatting is nice - but the time gets away on you! Goodness, how do you people get any work done?!? :'-D

Yep, I finally signed up, and can lurk no more! It already feels like I'm a TORnSib, having been in involved in the map project, and now these anniversary celebrations - as well as the films, of course.

And yes, The Hobbit is going to be another incredible journey. I'm looking forward to another few interesting and exciting years filled with creativity - amazing times indeed! I'm sure you and the TORnSib community are looking forward to doing it all over again!

When creating something like this, I have to bear in mind the overall composition all of the time. From a distance, the viewer needs to see the overall tone changing gradually from the sunlit side of the Hill to the shaded side. So the details must be drawn/painted not only so that they make sense "locally", but also so that they fit comfortably within the broad sweep of the whole thing. Quite a balancing act, when you're relying on the white of the paper for the highlights, rather than being able to paint them back in - I guess it just comes with experience. Though I do remember having to go back and darken some previously painted parts of this, once I saw the overall tonal range developing. As with a lot (all) of paintings, you need to step back and study the whole composition as it progresses - musn't lose sight of the big picture! With this sort of painting I enjoy depicting things by, well, not painting them! Like the gate here, which isn't painted at all - it's there only because bits of whatever's behind it have been painted in.